‘Do you think you’ll move back home at some point?’ is one of the most commonly fielded questions among expats and one that is fraught with complications. The answer is tightly wound by its own questions and scenarios.
What if Paris has become a legitimate home and going back would actually mean starting over in a place no longer familiar? Am I tied to a work visa? Do I have the legal right to stay indefinitely? Is there an explicit expiration date to this experience? Have I become too European to consider any other lifestyle? Both the ability and desire to stay in Paris depends largely on these questions, among countless others.
One of my best friends in Paris is American and moved abroad five years ago with her husband for his job. While they’ve fully integrated, speak the language and have constructed an impressive network of friends of various nationalities, they accept (albeit grudgingly) that their Paris chapter might come to a close in several years for a myriad of reasons. I’m confident that she’s a pal for life but since my flag is firmly planted in France, it’s hard to fathom that our regular coffee dates could one day become…
